Boreal Ski Resort today becomes the first Tahoe resort to open for skiing. It's one of only two Sierra resorts taking part in a national program to monitor and reduce carbon emissions.

Boreal Ski Resort is one of just two Tahoe-area resorts taking part in the National Ski Areas Association’s “Climate Challenge”.

Boreal will have one lift open only today from noon to 8 pm. It will not be open over the weekend.

Inside a building at Boreal, kids jump on trampolines. High above are new LED lights. Mountain Operations Director Shaydar Edelmann says they cost $100,000

“That saves us about 11 tons of carbon per year,” he says

Boreal's goal is to reducing carbon emissions by 900 tons by the end of the year. Boreal's progress is being monitored by the National Ski Areas Association, which says of its 190 members, Boreal and Soda Springs are two of just 20 resorts that agreed to monitoring.

The Association’s Public Policy Director Geraldine Link says resorts are making environmental progress but are reluctant to be monitored.

“But it is rigorous and so we are happy to see the 20 resorts that we have participating in it,” she says.

The report also praises erosion control efforts at Homewood Mountain Resort.